XKO Group

The Xko Group offers information technology services including web design, supply-chain and customer relationship management software to small and medium-sized companies. Its mission, it says, is to help UK businesses reap the maximum benefits from technology solutions - from the latest browser based enterprise resource planning (ERP to its friends) software to content management and intranet/extranet portals.

Take its work for Caterham Cars, manufacturer of the 'Super Seven' sports cars which have been in continuous production for 35 years and custodian of the world rights to the historic Lotus Seven as designed by Colin Chapman.

XKO Group has provided Caterham with a complete '32-user system solution', from accounting through to manufacturing. Each Caterham built is different and can have hundreds of optional requirements and parts which need to be stored, tracked and installed. What swung it for XKO was its configurator module, which allows Caterham to configure all of these options and then produce a meaningful bill of materials and works order. This ensures that the individual car buyer's specific customisation requests are completed on time and as specified. Clever, eh?

Due to its rapid growth, XKO is now seeking talented graduates to work as software developers and network engineers. To get a place on the XKO graduate recruitment scheme, applicants must be in their final year, expect a grade of 2:1 or above, or have graduated in the past year with such a grade.

As well as your formal qualifications, XKO will also be looking for certain personal qualities such as communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to act on their own initiative and a desire to take on responsibility. Candidates will also need to be aware of trends and developments in the IT and business world.

Louise Maidment, 25, joined XKO's sales team after graduating from Sheffield Hallam University in 1998 with a degree in international business and German. "From my very first day, I was encouraged to get involved as much as possible," she says. "Working with other more experienced systems consultants was an invaluable experience. It gave me the opportunity to shine myself. As a result, I am responsible for my own customers."